Shelter abuse protests enter fifth day

Civil society groups demonstrated for the fourth day on Tuesday, February 16, in front of the headquarters of the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family ( Senniaf ), in the Calidonia district.

Since last week, when a report by the  National  Assembly committee for Women, Children, Youth delivered its report on abuse and mistreatment of minors in shelters, days of protests have been at the headquarters.

Cries of “Justice for our children” were accompanied by the banging of pots. They carried read banners that said: Children do not lie, their abusers do; Who protects our children? , we demand justice !; Enough!; The state knew … no more indifference.

The protesters, mostly young, pointed out that we must take care of the rights of the most vulnerable people, such as children who live in shelters.

They also said that it is unforgivable that the institutions responsible for the shelters do not face up to all these inhumane acts. They added that if Panamanian society is not outraged at this situation, it is true that “we are corrupt to the core.”

The legislative report denounced “concrete evidence of abuse, violence and physical mistreatment of children and adolescents” in shelters for minors.

The report that is already in the hands of the Public Ministry, which opened an investigation, it is indicated that girls were victims of sexual abuse and were even forced to terminate pregnancies. It adds that in some shelters the minors were denied food and medicine.

The Legislative Committee was struck by “the inactivity of the Senniaf, since social workers sent reports to this entity about the irregularities and in many cases they were dismissed, while the children continued to live with their abusers.

On, Tuesday, Mayra Silvera, director of the Senniaf reported that 8 shelters have been closed, of the 51 identified nationwide.